National Children (4)
National Children (4) is the thirty-first chapter of Takashi Shiina's Zettai Karen Children. Synopsis Ken McGwire locates Colonel J. D. Grisham with Clairvoyance and informs Kaoru Akashi and Mary Ford who are ready to fight. Kaoru notices the serious look on Kōichi Minamoto's face and asks him what is wrong, but he tells her not to worry and releases Kaoru's limiter. The two fly across the lake but are intercepted by huge wave. Mary realises that Grisham has noticed them and is using her Hydrokinesis against them. Grisham greets them, noting with Kaoru being a Level 7 and Mary a Level 6, and his own strength double. The girls wonder about his intentions, but he quickly engages them in a fight. He launches a hydrokinetic attack from the front, and Mary blocks with water. Kaoru goes for a kick from above but is easily blocked. Mary is surprised that they are so evenly matched, with it being two against one. Minamoto realises they will need help and prepares a sniper rifle, but Ken prevents him from interfering, holding a handgun to his head. Grisham reminds the girls of how an Esper's power can change through sheer will, and Mary responds by trying to tell Grisham a sad story to weaken his power. Grisham interrupts and tells her a story of a young Esper called Mary who has breast enlargement surgery. The story enrages both Mary and Kaoru who accuse him of sexual harassment. The anger heightens their abilities and they attack. Minamoto realises that Grisham was trying to anger them on purpose. Grisham is admiring how powerful the two are, happy that his plan will work, but also noting how stupid the girls are. Ensnared by Mary's water and with Kaoru incoming, Grisham realises he won't be able to block the attack. Aoi Nogami and Shiho Sannomiya teleport to the scene and tell them to stop just in time. Having brought an old woman with a wheelchair and a respirator, Aoi asks her if she is able to see the town that was submerged beneath the lake but now revealed due to the Esper battle parting the water. Minamoto asks who the woman is, and Shiho tells him that there was a message at Grisham's house to retrieve her from the hospital. Ken clarifies that the woman had once saved Grisham's life and that he was working with Grisham the whole time. Kaoru is still confused, so Grisham explains that the woman does not have much longer to live and the whole situation was so that she could see her hometown one more time. Grisham goes into detail about his past with the woman. He recounts when he was part of a bomber crew during the Pacific War and his plane went down. During that time, she nursed him back to health. Kaoru and Mary, crying, ask Grisham why he didn't just tell them sooner, to which he responds that having heard the story, their power is weakened. The water quickly comes rushing back, pulling the three Espers under. Category:Chapters